This straightforward Sweet Potato Pound Cake recipe has all the characteristics of a pound cake. The roasted and then pureed sweet potato plus the warm spices promise a great flavor and moist texture!
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In the fall season, I get busy baking many savory and sweet dishes. For now, I am focused on creating more recipes with sweet potatoes. I find that sweet potato is such an amazing ingredient that adds character to any dish.
You should try my Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan. It is an amazing side dish and will look great on your dinner table. I hope you don't miss my favorite Sweet Potato Pie. This recipe is simply the best I have ever made, and if you liked it, you would like my delicate Sweet Potato Cream Caramel.
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Loaded with flavor: Thanks to the warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and the roasted and mashed sweet potatoes like my Honey Roasted Sweet potatoes, this pound cake is bursting with flavor. Roasting and not boiling the sweet potatoes brings more sweetness and enhances the cake's texture.
Simple Instructions: This is a straightforward recipe like my 7up Pound Cake. If this is your first baking, following the instructions will result in a delicious cake.
Moist: Sweet Potato Pound Cake stores well and stays moist for a long time.
🍠 INGREDIENTS
The full ingredients with measurements are in the recipe card below.
All-purpose flour - Sweet potatoes have moisture; therefore, using all-purpose flour is better than cake flour.
Sweet Potatoes - Pick firm and crack-free sweet potatoes that are medium or small since they have more flavor. I have roasted the sweet potatoes and then mashed them. Boiling sweet potatoes takes away a lot of their flavor.
Butter - I mostly go for unsalted butter since some salted butter has enough salt to ruin the taste of a dessert. Go for a good quality unsalted butter.
Eggs - They provide great texture for cakes and help them rise.
Cinnamon + nutmeg - Warm fall spices essential with most sweet potato recipes. I made sure to create a balance and not use too much of it.
🔪INSTRUCTIONS
Please read the detailed instructions in the recipe card.
Step 1
I know that roasting sweet potatoes takes a longer time, but the result is amazing. To roast the potatoes, peel them and cut them into cubes, spray them with oil, and roast them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a preheated oven of 190C/374f. Roast for 25 to 35 minutes or until fork-tender. It is best to use a food processor and give the roasted potatoes a few pulses for a smoother texture.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and nutmeg.
Step 3
In a different mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until they turn light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for a minute.
Step 4
Add the sweet potato puree to the previous mixture and beat for a minute, then add the milk and continue beating to combine.
Step 5
Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
Step 6
It's time to add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed if using a mixer. Fold the raisins gently into the batter.
Step 7
Pour the batter into a baking loaf pan.
Step 8
Bake the cake for 56 minutes or until a skewer or a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
👩🏽🍳PRO TIPS
- The ingredients should be at room temperature; it helps them mix better, and the cake bakes evenly.
- Preheat the oven for 30 minutes before baking the cake.
- Do not overbeat after adding the eggs. Incorporating too much air can cause the pound cake to have big air bubbles.
- Creaming the butter with sugar until fluffy is an important step and produces tender and intact crumbs; don't skip it.
- Boiling the sweet potatoes may save you time, but it will have more moisture and less flavor. Always roast the sweet potatoes and then blend them in a food processor.
- Pound cakes usually take a long time to bake, and the baking time might be even longer in this recipe because of the sweet potato.
📋VARIATIONS
You can make this recipe to your liking by adding the preferred ingredients.
Toasted pecans - Toast some pecans and fold them in the batter instead of raisins.
Use brown sugar - You can use brown sugar instead of white, giving a hint of caramel to the pound cake.
Cardamom - I have added cardamom powder to many recipes with sweet potatoes, and it tasted heavenly.
Chocolate chips - Sweet potatoes go so well with chocolate; you can fold chocolate chips in the batter and sprinkle some on top before baking.
🍽️HOW TO SERVE
You can serve this pound cake with a chilled glass of milk or your favorite hot drink. A dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of honey is great, but if you want to reward your tastebuds, try a warm slice with a scoop of ice cream.
This cake is delicious without any icing or frosting, but if you wish, you can prepare your favorite glaze and drizzle it over the cake. Do so when the cake is at room temperature so it doesn't get soggy or mushy.
🌡️STORING
You can store the cake by wrapping it with a plastic wrap and then refrigerate it for up to 4 days. However, the best way to store sweet potato pound cake is by slicing it, wrapping each slice with plastic wrap, and then placing the slices in the freezer in a freezer-friendly bag.
Freeze the cake for up to three to four months. To thaw the frozen slices, place them while wrapped in the fridge overnight.
📣MORE FALL RECIPES YOU'LL LIKE
⭐PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons sweet potato puree
- ¼ cup raisins optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Line a 9 x 5 x 3-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon and keep aside.
- In a different bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat for a minute or two.
- Add the sweet potato puree and beat on high. Add the milk and continue beating.
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Avoid overbeating the eggs.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix at the lowest speed using an electric mixer.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 56 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 9 minutes. Remove it from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
TO ROAST THE SWEET POTATO
- Peel them and cut them into cubes, spray them with oil, and roast them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a preheated oven of 190C/374f. Roast for 25 to 35 minutes or until fork-tender. It is best to use a food processor and give the roasted potatoes a few pulses for a smoother texture.
Notes
- How to roast the sweet potato and mash it is in the post above in detail.
- You can make this recipe in a bundt pan, but the baking time will differ.
- How to store the cake for a longer time is mentioned in the post.
- Choose medium or small sweet potato for more flavor.
- You can use store-bought sweet potato puree, but make sure to blot it before using it to get rid of the extra moisture.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
With just 10 tbsps of sugar and the add of sweet potato, I would say this is a HEALTHY delicious pound cake!
munatycooking
Thanks Angie! I like cutting back on sugar and use the natural sweetness of the sweet potato, I know you like healthy baking, I hope you give this one a try soon 🙂
Medeja
Love sweet potato cakes! Both color and cake!
munatycooking
Hey Medeja, This cake was awesome in so many ways 🙂
Farida
Oh I hear you , sweet potato in the U.S is fuller, and tastier. i would love to try this cake, pinned!
munatycooking
Hey Farida, I can't agree more, the sweet potato in the US is so delicious 🙂
Sandra | Sandra's Easy Cooking
I am a tad excited about fall time when we start to test and prepare a real comfort food. I never had sweet potatoes, I mean growing up. So, the first time I actually tasted was in the USA.
We have smaller versions of sweet white-ish pumpkin with orange flesh, and it tastes almost exactly as a baked sweet potato. Anyhow, your pound cake looks mouthwatering. Well done as always.
munatycooking
I think sweet potato is everywhere except it looks different in different countries! Glad you liked my pound cake 🙂
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
I am loving the bright color of this cake! Nice choice of making it with sweet potatoes. This is absolutely delicious!
munatycooking
Thanks Nagi, this cake tastes amazing, why not give it a try? 🙂
FREDA
Sweet Potato Pound Cake recipe
Hi, Munaty. Can this recipe use Almond flour, no sugar, on dairy butter and less raisins and still be delicious. I did not see these options and would like to make this cake.
Thank you.
Muna
I'm sorry Freda, I have never used almond flour for this recipe, I'm afraid I can't provide a fair answer to your question!